black out poetry examples and directions

2. Where did Blackout Poetry come from?
• Librarian love stacks of new
and shiny books!
• Books wear out and fall apart
over time 
• How to give these books new
life?
• Repurpose & Reuse!
• Poetry pages are from books
that would otherwise have
ended up in the trash
Resource: https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/blog-posts/john-depasquale/blackout-poetry/

3. How do I do it?
Find the words hidden in the
page of text to magically create
a poem. That poem is already
there, waiting for you to find it!
Randomness is part of the fun!
Make it scary, funny, serious,
lighthearted….your poem is
waiting for you 
Blackout poetry is all about
deconstruction and
reconstruction. Let’s get
started….

4. Directions:
• Step 1: Scan the page first. Keep an eye out for “anchor words” (the
ones that stand out to you because of their significance or meaning).
Starting with an anchor word helps you imagine a theme for your
poem.
• Step 2: Now read the page entirely. Use a pencil to lightly circle
words that connect to your anchor word/resonate with you. Avoid
circling 3 words in a row.
• Step 3: List all the circled words on a separate paper if needed (in
their order in the text). Some words will make the cut and others will
be discarded. Select only the words that will make your final poem.

5. • Step 4: Return to your text page
and circle your final word
choices. Erase any pencil circles
from words you won’t be using.
• Step 5: Add an
illustration/design/pattern to
the page that connects to your
poem. Be very careful not to
draw over the circled words you
selected for your final poem!